President Connors’ leg was underneath three large rocks. The last rock was more of a slab. Miriam believed his leg crushed. How can she tell him? Miriam fixed a smile on her face. “What I wouldn’t give for a genie and a magic lamp.”
Connors chuckled. Blood came out of his mouth and she grew alarmed. They heard another whoosh and then a bang. She braced against his chest as more rocks fell from the ceiling. She looked into his eyes, searching. Connors held her and he searched as well. She put a smile on her face. “Is that a genie or are you just happy to see me, sir?”
Connors chuckled. His face grew stern, authoritative.
“You have to go, Miriam.”
“We will leave together.”
“Miriam.”
“We leave together.” Her words were strong. She had trouble believing them though they sounded truthful. She looked at the falling rocks above, listening to the sound they made as they hit the barrier. It was mesmerizing. She tore her gaze from the sight above her, then looked around the cave floor for a lever to free her friend.
“Miriam, stop.” Connors reached upward and gripped her shoulders as she passed. “I’m not leaving here alive. We both know that. You have to go and warn them, Miriam. Warn them before it is too late. Go!” With his remaining strength, he shoved her forward. “Don’t look back, go. Go! Save us!”
Miriam took in a shaky breath. No matter what the President said, she wasn’t leaving. Somehow she would remove the rock. She moved forward in search of a lever. She heard him say something, she listened, it was a name—Katherine. Miriam closed her eyes to keep from crying. James Connors was more than a boss; he was a dear friend and would not die in this hell hole. She would find a way to help him. She would save him. She moved faster.
A noise behind her made her stop. She turned to see the area where Norman sat darkening. Was she dying? Was the tunnel going to collapse? Quickly Miriam moved to what she thought was light ahead of her. She paid no attention to her many cuts as she moved.
The light was her sole focus. Get to the light and get help!
Miriam crawled toward the light. A whooshing sound came. It came from behind her. Something enveloped her and lifted her off the ground. She went sailing through the tunnel away from the light toward Norman. She shouted, “No! Stop! No!” She hit the field above her head and tumbled end over end and then sailed toward the light at tremendous speed. Another whooshing sound. This time it came ahead of her. She screamed as the wall beside her gave way.
Miriam flew through darkness and then down the side of the mountain. She let out bloodcurdling screams. She fell toward the ground at a speed that surely would do more than break her neck. The earth would liquefy her. The rest would seep between the cracks and she would be gone forever. Miriam kept yelling until she hit the ground.
She stopped yelling and looked around her. She wasn’t dead; no bones broke, no bones cracked, no turning into a puddle of jelly, nothing remotely of a horrifying nature occurred. Miriam sat. She stood and performed a quick inventory. Her pantsuit was dusty and dirty, torn at the bottom. Her high heels were missing. Her knees shone through tears in her pants, packed in mud from dirt mixed with blood. She was thankful not to have a mirror. Her $200 hairdo was no doubt a mess. Her hair flew around her head in stringy waves, filled with dirt. She shook some of it out. The question returned to her, why wasn’t she dead? And why wasn’t she where she should be? She expected to be in front of the mountain; instead, she was far off to its west. A sound startled her. Pulverizing artillery flew into the mountain from two Apache helicopters and a Harrier. Behind them she saw three F-35 fighter planes maneuvering into position to launch their artillery into the mountain. Great chunks of debris flew into the air.
Miriam looked toward the Atlantic Ocean, but couldn’t see the ships they came from. That’s what happened. The Navy was attacking, but why?
After they fired, their guns went silent. Miriam listened to the sounds of the falling rocks. Dust filled the air. She watched the rocks tumble to the ground. From where she was she saw the mountain remained, though a huge chunk had been taken out of it. It looked as if it were a giant Hershey’s Kiss and some gigantic chocolate lover took a bite out of it.
She was too far inland to attempt a walk to the ships. From the valley she was in, she set out to find help and get word back to the White House. President Connors was dead and we had fired on friendly aliens. Hopefully, there would be time to warn them before the aliens retaliated. With a heavy heart, she made her way toward the stream a few yards from her. Her father once told her rivers lead to civilization, please let it be true.
Miriam thought of her phone, it was missing. She had to warn them, there was no time to loose. She took a breath and moved. She walked with a limp, beginning her journey in earnest, mourning as she went.
Chapter Fifteen: Zora